Psycho II from an Australian Perspective

Psycho II is a Universal Studios/Oak Industries production, starring, Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, Robert Loggia and Meg Tilly.

It's 22 years later and Norman Bates is coming home.

It's 1983 in Australia and there's a buzz in the air that Anthony Perkins is returning to reprise the role of Norman Bates, made famous in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.

I was slightly more excited to see Vera Miles returning as Lila (also from the original).  I had started watching a number of Vera Miles movies readily available on TV.  I was surprised how often she would appear in the credits.  Besides, Psycho I had only seen Anthony Perkins in Agatha Christies, Murder on the Orient Express.  The rest of the cast were all new to me

The Mike Walsh Show is really when things started to heat up.  Mike Walsh was a daytime chat show airing across Australia during the day.  John-Michael Howson was the resident over the top movie critic.  He had just returned from the United States seeing a preview of Psycho II.  John-Michael was indeed excited to say the least.  The curtains closed just prior to the ending leaving John-Michael furious, he had to pay to see the final denouement.  There was talk about Australian director Richard Franklin shooting a remake of The Window and John-Michael was impressed with his directorial effort.  Mike made a throw away comment, Tony Perkins was on the show on Monday.  I was hoping he would visit Adelaide (a town Tony loved when he made For the Term of His Natural Life a year or so earlier).  Tony didn't visit Adelaide but did some radio interviews.  Psycho II wasn't a rumour any longer it was happening and about to be released.  

 

Magazines, newspapers, radio interviews, it was all starting to happen.  Psycho II was being fuelled by articles and stories with many focussing on Anthony Perkins sexual awakening and his relationship with Victoria Principal.  Psycho II may have taken a back seat, but any press is good press if it fills a seat.  I was extremely excited by the Movie 83 magazine.  Colour photos of Psycho II over three pages.  I even managed to purchase a number of insert movie posters from the cinema. 
You might think with an Australian director there would have been much written about Richard Franklin but no, only a paragraph here and there.  The score for Psycho II wasn't released in Australia but luckily a record store had two copies imported. The following week the other copy had sold as well. I still have my Psycho II scrapbook making sure I saved every article there was.

Anthony Perkins had arrived in Sydney with his wife and children to promote Psycho II.  He appeared on The Mike Walsh Show and also on the nighttime, The Don Lane Show.  Tony seemed a little anxious and almost bored with answering the same answer questions over and over.  He smiled when he had too, nodded when the question didn't really need an answer.  Then every state flew in their own movie reviewer for an interview.  Local Adelaide, Movie Scene host, Anne Wills, gushed over that fabulous moment where the camera came down thirty feet to the ground.  Obviously, Anne had brushed up on the press release before the interview.

Finally, it was August 19th, 1983.  Psycho II opened at Greater Union Cinema 6 in Hindley Street which sat 488 people and it was a full house. I was excited. I went wanting to be entertained but I also went a little sceptical. My brain was in overdrive.  "The relatives of the seven people he murdered", SEVEN?  I always thought there was 6.  When Norman went into mothers' room and seeing everything 'as it were' all I could think about was that Lila was the only one who had been in the bedroom.  Everything was pointing to Lila.  I remember being terribly excited we got to see more of the Bates house.  I found Meg Tilly a delight in the film.  I feel she played the character of Mary superbly.  Robert Loggia was also solid in his role of Dr Raymond.  My beloved, Vera.  How wonderful it was to see Lila still feisty as always.  It was a week before the film came out there was a photo of Vera and a caption, - will she see the film out? Vera Miles scream suggests doom is at hand.  I had never entertained the idea of Lila dying, so when the whole cinema screamed, I'm yelling out "NOOOOOO!"  I did walk out feeling extremely entertained.  Very sadly a movie review just prior to the release basically gave the ending away.  I read about the shovel and in that moment, I realized no film critic should EVER ruin someone's enjoyment by giving away the ending. (That article is at the end of this post)

Promotional postcards designed by Universal Studios but only the first card was produced for Adelaide audiences.

I saw the film numerous times at the cinema, each time noticing new things I'd missed previously.  The staff at the cinema were like "oh, hello again".  There was a massive 3D cardboard promotional display for the film.  What I wouldn't have done to own that.  When Psycho II was airing at the local drive-in I'd sometimes go across the road and watch the movie with no sound.  Psycho II returned in 1984 just prior to the video release and although not a packed cinema it was nice to see it again.

Just prior to the film's release I wrote to Universal Studios asking if they had any information, they could supply me about Psycho II.  They kindly sent me a press release with black and white 8 x 10's, pages of information, a colour magazine feature and some colour transparencies.  I had never seen a press kit before and was thrilled to add it to the Psycho II collection.

Over the years it's so nice to see Psycho II being so widely appreciated.  From movie reactions on YouTube to people casually saying they watched a terrific film and low and beyond it was Psycho II.  I first purchased Psycho II on BETA in 1984.  The film was only a rental at the time and had to pay $75.00 to own the copy.  The poor woman couldn't understand why I wanted to own it.  Psycho II is something I can watch over and over and remember a time when I was 20 and had time to take everything in at a more relaxed pace.

All photos copyright Universal Studios.

Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho in Review

Psycho is a Shamley Production starring, Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, 
John Gavin and Janet Leigh as Marion Crane. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Watching Alfred Hitchcock’s, Psycho for the first time, without any prior knowledge, is a rare experience today. With sequels, reboots, and spoilers everywhere, going in completely blind feels nearly impossible. The film is famous for its iconic shower scene (which is really the only thing I was aware of), which shocked audiences upon release, and is often hailed as a masterpiece of suspense and horror.

My own introduction to Hitchcock began much earlier, around the early 1970s, when North by Northwest aired on TV. That film sparked my fascination with thrillers and even Mount Rushmore, thanks to its memorable climax.  For years I belived you could actually drive and be on top of the monument. 

However, the title Psycho always sounded too scary, so I avoided it for years. It wasn’t until October 1982 that I finally watched Psycho, broadcast as part of Bill Collins’ Golden Years of Hollywood series. Bill Collins (a movie buff) would introduce the film and talk a little about it.  I don't recall now what he said verbatim except there was a strong parental theme, the shower sequence and he would divulge something interesting about the Bates house at the end of the movie. 

As the movie started all that was going through my brain was - people were so terrified by the shower scene if they looked away they might have missed seeing the killer - surely if I glued myself to the screen  - no matter how terrifying, I could solve the movies plot then and there.

                    

I was engrossed from the start.  Aha! Was Cassidy buying his daughter a wedding present a clue? And there was Caroline talking about a possessive mother, another possible clue? 

As Marion Crane drove into the motel, the sign, Bates Motel, seemed instantly recognisable.  I suddenly recalled I had a 45 record titled 'Bates Motel' by the London Hitmen (the Hitmen if you were in the UK) - was there a connection I was blindly unaware of?  No time for that, I was out to solve a mystery.  Its so hard to imagine watching Psycho having to endure television commercials but at the time it was a regular part of life. You just accepted it.

It was time for the shower scene and I didn't turn away, strangely I wasn't afraid.  Was there another one later in the film?  But upon seeing it, I saw the killer.  It was the mother.  Deluded as I was - I had outsmarted Hitchcock, I outsmarted everyone who missed this, oh so obvious (to me) clue. For the rest of the movie Mrs Bates was alive and another character in the movie.  No question about it.  As Arbogast started to ascend the stairs I became so terrified, literally hiding behind cushions and when mom made her appearance there was no doubt, this mother was a maniac and yes, a raving thing.

As Norman was about the carry her down the stairs I was so engrossed, unaware Hitchcock was doing amazing camera angles. all I was thinking was - that mother is one stubborn old lady.  When Sheriff Chambers asked, "who's that woman buried out in Greenlawn cemetery" - I think I blurted out a very frustrated,  "I don't know!!!"
                          

By the time Lila was well into the picture, I was terrified.  By this time I brought our dog inside to help protect me.  I was totally absorbing every detail.  One of the more frightening moments (for me) is when Lila reacts to seeing her reflection in a mirror in mothers room, I do remember screaming at that moment followed by yelling, "just get out of the house" at the screen.

As Lila looked at the cellar door, this was so terrifying for me than the shower scene had been.  When Lila finally met Mrs Bates I was freaked.  Only to be more gobsmacked at the reveal.  I hadn't outsmarted everyone and felt like a fool.  But one thing was on my mind, - who, what, why, I needed to know everything.

During the final scene with Dr Richmond I don't think my mouth closed.  Here was the moment that explained everything, every question in my brain was being answered by the fine doctor.

I had been on a rollercoaster of a ride - all in 109 minutes (longer with the damn commercials).  My brain was reliving every moment - how could I be so stupid - of course that happened - ah that was because of, and so on.
                                    

Bill Collins came on to do his endpiece.  His promise to divulge something about the house was simply, the house remains at Universal Studios (in fact it wasn't, it was removed in December 1980 and not rebuilt until Psycho II in 1982) and the house only consisted of only two sides, the front and left side.  I found this fascinating.  Even more trickery at the hands of Mr Hitchcock.  I think he might have mentioned a sequel was being planned - but if he did my mind was reeling too much to pay any attention.

I quickly went to put on my Bates Motel record.  Yes indeed, it was related to the movie, "the master has gone, but you'll carry on, biting your nails forever".
                                                

Being Australian there wasn't a lot you could do in 1981 when it came to acessing information.  Video machine's were slowly coming in.  I was aware Psycho was available as a rental and begged and pleaded to get a player but it fell on deaf ears, it did finally eventuate in early 1982.

All I could do in the meantime was go to bookstores and look for books on Hitchcock. And that I did, and started amassing a number of books predominately only paying attention to the Psycho chapter.

When we finally got a BETA player (at my father's instance, I wanted VHS like everyone else) a friend copied Psycho for me, having to lug his machine to my place to do so - but it seemed very exciting to have Psycho at my fingertips, and I wore it out.  I watched it numerous times during the week and on weekends sometimes back to back for hours on end.  This is probably where I first learned of my OCD - just not knowing it was a thing. 

Quickly learning the movies dialogue I started trying to adapt the script into my own life.  I remember going to a bank and being asked if I had identification, I amusingly replied, "I believe I have the necessary papers".  They had no clue but there I was living my best life.

One other thing that got me into a lot of trouble, our bathroom and (looking back now) had horrible blue floral wallpaper and above the toilet was a rather large flower nicely positioned at eye level.  Yes, I cut an eye out of a magazine and slapped it into the middle of the flower.  What made it hysterical (for me) was other other side of the wall was a wardrobe, a perfect hiding spot for a peephole.  My father would always notice the eye and lose his temper, the more he yelled the funnier I thought it was.

In 1982 we had gotten a kitten (not sure how or even why) but the first thing I did was name him Norman!  (I later had a cat called Maureen, named after Psycho III but that's a whole different story).  As 1982 progressed word came out that Psycho II was indeed in production - and with an Australian director.  My deep dive into Psycho II was pretty obsessive and that will be a whole post on its own.)  Somewhere is a BETA tape with Psycho II content taped off the TV (yes, I'm currently trying to find it.)

In all the ensuing years I still haven't seen Psycho on the big screen in a cinema.  However, a few years ago I did attend Psycho at the Drive-In.  It was part of the farewell celebrations when the drive-in was closing.  I went with a friend who hadn't seen the film, normally its the first thing I subject new friends too, and to his delight he was most happy when he realized he'd been to the car yard seen in the movie, "is that the same car yard you dragged me to in LA?", "one and the same", said I.

Psycho has remained a constant in my life and all these years later the amount of joy it has given me is something I am truly appreciative of.  In the ensuing years in 1990 the Stephen Rebello book, 'Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho' was a discvovery of absolute pure joy taking the reader onto the set for every delicious morsel in microsopic detail.

With me, Psycho gets a rating of 5 butchers knives everytime.

All photos Universal Studios.except drive-in image by  R Zada.